TERESA (retires from him, and feebly supports herself O that my joy could spread its sunshine round thee! [A pause; then presses her forehead. This dull confused pain Mysterious man! Hail, potent wizard! in my gayer mood I pour'd forth a libation to old Pluto, [Waving his hand to ALVAR. The weaker needs must break. ALVAR. I see thy heart! [A pause, she gazes at ALVAR. Which doth betray thee. Inly-tortured man! Methinks I can not fear thee: for thine eye In the fond faithful heart of his Teresa! It told but half the truth. O let this portrait [Takes her portrait from his neck, and gives it her. TERESA (receiving the portrait). The same-it is the same. Ah! Who art thou? ORDONIO. Feeling! feeling! Come, take the beverage; this chill place demands it. Yon insect on the wall, ALVAR. Which moves this way and that its hundred limbs, It were an infinitely curious thing! But it has life, Ordonio! life, enjoyment! And by the power of its miraculous will Saw I that insect on this goblet's brim Nay I will call thee, ALVAR! [She falls on his neck. I would remove it with an anxious pity! ALVAR. O joy unutterable! But hark! a sound as of removing bars For the honour of our race, for our dear father; ORDONIO. What meanest thou? ALVAR. There's poison in the wine. ORDONIO. Thou hast guess'd right; there's poison in the wine. ALVAR. Whom dost thou think me? What then art thou? For shame, put up thy sword! I fix mine eye upon thee, and thou tremblest! I speak, and fear and wonder crush thy rage, Thou blind self-worshipper! thy pride, thy cunning, Thy shallow sophisms, thy pretended scorn What have they done for thee? have they given thee peace? Cured thee of starting in thy sleep? or made The darkness pleasant when thou wakest at midnight! Yet, yet ORDONIO (vacantly repeating the words). Saved? saved? ALVAR. How sweet and musical the name of Alvar! ORDONIO. Spirit of the dead! Methinks I know thee! ha! my brain turns wild At its own dreams!-off-off fantastic shadow! ALVAR. I fain would tell thee what I am! but dare not! ORDONIO. Cheat! villain! traitor! whatsoever thou beI fear thee, man! TERESA (rushing out and falling on ALVAR's neck). Ordonio! 't is thy brother. [ORDONIO with frantic wildness runs upon ALVAR with his sword. TERESA flings herself on ORDONIO and arrests his arm. Stop, madman, stop ALVAR. Does then this thin disguise impenetrably Ordonio-Brother! Touch not pollution, Alvar! I will die. [He attempts to fall on his sword, ALVAR and TERESA prevent him. One pang! TERESA. Could I call up one pang of true Remorse! ORDONIO. He told me of the babes that prattled to him, A mangled body? mangled-dash'd to atoms! And though thou spill thy heart's blood for atonement, ALVAR (almost overcome by his feelings). But Alvar- ORDONIO. Ha! it chokes thee in the throat, Even thee; and yet I pray thee speak it out. Still Alvar! Alvar!-howl it in mine ear, Heap it like coals of fire upon my heart, And shoot it hissing through my brain! ALVAR. Alas! That day when thou didst leap from off the rock Into the waves, and grasp'd thy sinking brother, And bore him to the strand; then, son of Valdez, He would have died to save me, and I kill'd him- TERESA. Some secret poison Drinks up his spirits! ORDONIO (fiercely recollecting himself). Let the Eternal Justice Prepare my punishment in the obscure worldI will not bear to live-to live-O agony ! And be myself alone my own sore torment! [The doors of the dungeon are broken open, and in rush ALHADRA, and the band of MORESCOES. Seize first that man! ALHADRA. She hath avenged the blood of Isidore! I stood in silence like a slave before her That I might taste the wormwood" and the gall, Oh!-couldst thou forget me! [Dies. [ALVAR and TERESA bend over the body of ORDONIO. I thank thee, Heaven! thou hast ordain'd it wisely, [ALVAR presses onward to defend ORDONIO. Despairing, but not palsied by despair, Why didst thou leave his children? Demon, thou shouldst have sent thy dogs of hell To lap their blood! Then, then I might have harden'd I would have stood far off, quiet though dark, And bade the race of men raise up a mourning This arm should shake the Kingdoms of the World; Should sink away, earth groaning from beneath them; Till Desolation seemed a beautiful thing, [ALHADRA hurries off with the Moors; the stage Delights so full, if unalloyed with grief, [Both rise. Wert thou in heaven, my curse would pluck thee thence! Were ominous. In these strange dread events Zapolya; A CHRISTMAS TALE. IN TWO PARTS. Πὰρ πυρὶ χρὴ τοιαῦτα λέγειν χειμῶνος ἐν ὥρα. ADVERTISEMENT. THE form of the following dramatic poem is in humble imitation of the Winter's Tale of Shakspeare, except that I have called the first part a Prelude instead of a first Act, as a somewhat nearer resemblance to the plan of the ancients, of which one specimen is left us in the Eschylian Trilogy of the Agamemnon, the Orestes, and the Eumenides. Though a matter of form merely, yet two plays, on different periods of the same tale, might seem less bold, than an interval of twenty years between a first and second act. This is, however, in mere obedience to custom. The effect does not, in reality, at all depend on the Time of the interval; but on a very different principle. There are cases in which an interval of twenty hours between the acts would have a worse effect (i. e. render the imagination less disposed to take the position required) than twenty years in other cases. For the rest, I shall be well content if my readers will take it up, read and judge it, as a Christmas tale. CHARACTERS. MEN. EMERICK, usurping King of Illyria. CHEF RAGOZZI, a Military Commander. WOMAN. ZAPOLYA, Queen of Illyria. ZAPOLYA. PART I. THE PRELUDE, ENTITLED FORTUNE.» O most loved, most honour'd, The mystery, that struggles in my looks, That I am ignorant; but fear the worst. And mystery is contagious. All things here Are full of motion: and yet all is silent : And bad men's hopes infect the good with fears. THE USURPER'S I have trembling proof within, how true thou speakest. CHEF RAGOZZI. That the prince Emerick feasts the soldiery, Gives splendid arms, pays the commanders' debts, Front of the Palace with a magnificent Colonnade. On And (it is whisper'd) by sworn promises one side a military Guard-house. Sentries pacing Makes himself debtor-hearing this, thou hast heard backward and forward before the Palace. CHEF (Then in a subdued and saddened voice.) RAGOZZI, at the door of the Guard-house, as looking But what my lord will learn too soon himself. forwards at some object in the distance. ---IIV RAAB KIUPRILI. Ha!-Well then, let it come! Worse scarce can come. This letter, written by the trembling hand Of royal Andreas, calls me from the camp |